title: Comparison of capecitabine and 5-fluorouracil in chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although capecitabine has theoretical advantages in the pharmacokinetics, such as higher intratumoral and lower systemic concentration, relative to bolus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), outcomes of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with capecitabine or bolus 5-FU have not been directly compared in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Therefore, we retrospectively compared the outcomes, including toxicity, tumor response, and overall survival, of oral capecitabine plus radiotherapy (RT) with bolus 5-FU plus RT, in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 2006 and January 2012, 98 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer received CRT, with 52 receiving concurrent oral capecitabine and 46 receiving bolus injection of 5-FU. Primary tumor and overall response after CRT were evaluated radiologically, and toxicity, tumor response, and overall survival (OS) were compared in the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline clinical parameters of the two groups were similar. The rates of ≥ Grade 3 hematologic (0% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.045) and non-hematologic (0% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.045) toxicities were significantly lower in the capecitabine group than in the 5-FU group. Primary tumor (30.7% vs. 28.2%, p = 0.658) and overall (13.7% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.273) response rates and median OS time (12.5 months vs. 11.6 months, p = 0.655) were similar in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine plus RT may be a safe and feasible regimen for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, with similar efficacy and low rates of toxicities compared with bolus 5-FU plus RT.
authors.forename: Yeon-Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Myung
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Tae Hyun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Sik
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Bo Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Sang Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Sang-Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joo-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joong-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil